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Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies

Note A - Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Operations

Preformed Line Products Company and subsidiaries (the “Company”) is a designer and manufacturer of products and systems employed in the construction and maintenance of overhead and underground networks for the energy, telecommunication, cable operators, data communication and other similar industries. The Company’s primary products support, protect, connect, terminate and secure cables and wires. The Company also provides solar hardware systems and mounting hardware for a variety of solar power applications. The Company’s customers include public and private energy utilities and communication companies, cable operators, governmental agencies, contractors and subcontractors, distributors and value-added resellers. The Company serves its worldwide markets through strategically located domestic and international manufacturing facilities.

Principles of Consolidation and Noncontrolling Interests

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries for which it has a controlling interest. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation.

Noncontrolling interests are presented in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements as if parent company investors (controlling interests) and other minority investors (noncontrolling interests) in partially owned subsidiaries have similar economic interests in a single entity. As a result, investments in noncontrolling interests are reported as equity in our Consolidated Financial Statements. Additionally, the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements include 100% of a controlled subsidiary’s earnings, rather than only our share. Transactions between the parent company and noncontrolling interests are reported in equity as transactions between stockholders, provided that these transactions do not create a change in control.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (“Cash”) are stated at fair value and consist of highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the time of acquisition. Restricted cash is included on the Cash and cash equivalents on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Accounts Receivable Allowances

The Company maintains an allowance for credit losses for estimated losses resulting from the inability of its customers to make required payments. Prior to the adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC 326 “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses", the allowances for uncollectible accounts receivable were based upon the number of days the accounts are past due, the current business and macroeconomic environment, geographic considerations and specific information such as bankruptcy or liquidity issues of its customers. Rather than recognizing losses when they are deemed to be probable, the Company now uses a current expected credit loss model in order to immediately recognize an estimate of credit losses that are expected to occur over the life of the financial instruments, mainly trade receivables. Additionally, the allowance is based upon identified delinquent accounts, customer payment patterns and other analyses of historical data trends. The Company also maintains an allowance for future sales credits related to sales recorded during the year. The estimated allowance is based on historical sales credits issued in the subsequent year related to the prior year and any significant, preapproved open return good authorizations as of the balance sheet date.

Inventories

The Company uses the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method of determining cost for the majority of its material portion of inventories in PLP-USA. All other inventories are determined by the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) or average cost methods. Inventories are carried at net realizable value. Reserves are maintained for estimated obsolescence or excess inventory based on past usage and future demand.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 825, “Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments,” requires disclosures of the fair value of financial instruments. The estimated fair value of financial instruments was principally based on market prices where such prices were available, and when unavailable, fair values were estimated based on market prices of similar instruments.

Property, Plant and Equipment and Depreciation

Property, plant, and equipment is recorded at cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives. The estimated useful lives used, when purchased new, are: land improvements, ten years; buildings, forty years; building improvements, five to forty years; machinery and equipment, three to ten years; and aircraft, fifteen years. Appropriate reductions in estimated useful lives are made for property, plant and equipment purchased in connection with an acquisition of a business or in a used condition when purchased.

Long-Lived Assets

The Company records impairment losses on long-lived assets used in operations when events and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets are impaired and the undiscounted future cash flows estimated to be generated by such assets are less than the carrying value. The Company’s cash flows are based on historical results adjusted to reflect the Company’s best estimate of future market and operating conditions. The net carrying value of assets not recoverable is then reduced to fair value. The estimate of fair value represents the Company’s best estimate based on industry trends and reference to market rates and transactions. The Company did not record any impairment to long-lived assets during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

Goodwill and Other Intangibles

Goodwill and other intangible assets are generally recoded as a result of a business acquisition. Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of the tangible and identifiable net assets acquired during a business combination and is not subject to amortization but is subject to annual impairment testing. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment annually on October 1 or more frequently when changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount may be impaired. Such events or changes may include, but are not limited to, a significant deterioration in overall economic conditions, changes in the business climate of the Company's industry, overall performance indicators, a decline in the Company's market capitalization, business reorganization or restructuring or disposal of all or part of a reporting unit.

 

Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level, and is based on the net assets for each reporting unit, including goodwill and intangible assets. The Company’s reporting units are equivalent to the reportable operating segments, except for the Americas segment which has two reporting units (Canada and Other Americas). Goodwill is assigned to each reporting unit, as this represents the lowest level that constitutes a business and is the level at which management regularly reviews the operating results. The Other Americas reporting unit does not have any allocated goodwill.

 

Intangible assets with definite lives, consisting primarily of purchased customer relationships, patents, technology, customer backlogs, trademarks and land use rights, are generally amortized over periods from four years to eighty-two years. The Company has no indefinite lived intangible assets other than goodwill. The Company’s intangible assets with finite lives are generally amortized over the period in which the economic benefits of the intangibles are consumed, using either a projected cash flow basis method or the straight-line method. The straight-line method is used in circumstances in which it better reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible asset are consumed or otherwise expire compared to using a projected cash flow basis method. An evaluation of the remaining useful life of intangible assets with a determinable life is performed on a periodic basis and when events and circumstances warrant an evaluation. The Company assesses intangible assets with a determinable life for impairment when the carrying amount may not be recoverable, consistent with its policy for assessing other long-lived assets. Approximately $0.3 million of impairment charges were recorded in 2021 related to finite-lived intangible assets.

 

The Company may use both quantitative and qualitative approaches when testing goodwill for impairment. A qualitative analysis is performed by assessing certain trends and factors, including projected market outlook and growth rates, forecasted and actual sales and gross profit margins, discount rates and other relevant qualitative factors. These trends and factors are compared to, and based on, the assumptions used in the most recent quantitative analysis performed for each reporting unit to determine if it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount. If that determination is made, no further evaluation is necessary. Otherwise, the Company performs a quantitative impairment test on the reporting unit.

 

For the quantitative approach, the Company uses a combination of the income approach, which uses a discounted cash flow methodology, and the market approach, which uses comparable market multiples, in computing fair value by reporting unit. The Company then compares the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying value to assess if goodwill has been impaired. The fair value estimates are subjective and sensitive to significant assumptions, such as future cash flows, revenue growth rates, operating margins, the weighted-average cost of capital ("WACC"), and estimated market multiples, of which are affected by expectations of future market or economic conditions. The future cash flows are based on the Company’s long-term operating plan and a terminal value was used to estimate the reporting unit’s cash flows beyond the period covered by the operating plan. The WACC is an estimate of the overall after-tax rate of return required by equity and debt market holders of a business enterprise. The Company believes that the methodologies, significant assumptions, and weightings used are reasonable and result in appropriate fair values of the reporting units.

 

Impairment assessments inherently involve management judgments regarding a number of assumptions such as those described above. Due to the multiple variables inherent in arriving at the estimates of the reporting unit's fair value, differences in assumptions could have an effect on the estimated fair value of a reporting unit and could result in goodwill impairment charges in a future period.

Revenue Recognition

Net sales include products and shipping and handling charges, net of estimates for product returns. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for transferring products. All revenue is recognized when the Company satisfies the performance obligations under the contract and control of the product is transferred to the customer, primarily based on shipping terms. Revenue for shipping and handling charges are recognized at the time the products are shipped to, delivered to or picked up by the customer. Payment terms vary by the type and location of the customer and the products offered but are generally short-term in nature. The Company estimates product returns based on historical return rates.

Research and Development

Research and development costs for new products are expensed as incurred and totaled $3.3 million in 2021, $2.8 million in 2020 and $3.0 million in 2019.

 

 

Income Taxes

Income taxes are computed in accordance with the provisions of FASB ASC 740, “Income Taxes” and includes U.S. (federal and state) and foreign income taxes. In the Consolidated Financial Statements, the benefits of a consolidated return have been reflected where such returns have or could be filed based on the entities and jurisdictions included in the financial statements.

Uncertain tax positions are recorded in accordance with ASC 740 on the basis of a two-step process whereby (1) the Company determines whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, the Company recognizes the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than likely than not to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority.

Deferred taxes are recognized at currently enacted tax rates for temporary differences between the financial reporting and income tax basis of assets and liabilities and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. The Company establishes a valuation allowance to record deferred tax assets at an amount that is more-likely-than-not to be realized. In the event the Company were to determine that it would be able to realize our deferred tax assets in the future in excess of the recorded amount, an adjustment to the valuation allowance would increase income in the period such determination was made. Likewise, should the Company determine that it would not be able to realize all or part of the net deferred tax assets in the future, an adjustment to the valuation allowance would be charged to expense in the period such determination was made.

Advertising

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and totaled $1.5 million in 2021, $0.3 million in 2020 and $1.9 million in 2019.

Foreign Currency Translation

Asset and liability accounts are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates in effect at the date of the Consolidated Balance Sheet. The translation adjustments are recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Revenues and expenses are translated at weighted average exchange rates in effect during the period. Transaction gains and losses arising from exchange rate changes on transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency are included in income and expense as incurred. Aggregate transaction losses, including hedge activity, for both years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 was $1.0 million and was $1.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. Upon sale or substantially complete liquidation of an investment in a foreign entity, the cumulative translation adjustment for that entity is reclassified from Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to earnings.

Effective July 1, 2018, Argentina was designated as a highly inflationary economy as the projected three-year cumulative inflation rate exceeded 100%. As such, beginning July 1, 2018, the functional currency for the Company’s Argentina subsidiary became the U.S. dollar. The impact to the Company’s consolidated financial statements for accounting of the Argentina subsidiary under highly inflationary economy rules is not material. Revenue from operations in Argentina was less than 1% of total consolidated net sales for both years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 and less than 2% of consolidated net sales for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Business Combinations

Upon acquisition of a business, the Company uses the income, market or cost approach (or a combination thereof) for the valuation as appropriate. The valuation inputs in these models and analyses are based on market participant assumptions. Market participants are considered to be buyers and sellers unrelated to the Company in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability.

In the event there is an earn-out associated with an acquisition, the Company uses a valuation model to measure the contingent consideration, which may include significant assumptions such as revenue projections and discount rates. The Company uses a discounted cash flow model to measure the useful lives of intangible assets. The significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value of the intangible assets include discount rates and certain assumptions that form the basis of future cash flows (such as revenue growth rates, attrition rates, and royalty rates). These assumptions relate to the future performance of the acquired businesses, are forward-looking and could be affected by future economic and market conditions.

Fair value estimates are based on a series of judgments about future events and uncertainties and rely heavily on estimates and assumptions. Management values property, plant and equipment using the cost approach supported where available by observable market data, which includes consideration of obsolescence. Acquired inventories are marked to fair value. For certain items, the carrying value is determined to be a reasonable approximation of fair value based on information available to the Company.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company operates internationally and enters into intercompany transactions denominated in foreign currencies. Consequently, the Company is subject to market risk arising from exchange rate movements between the dates foreign currency transactions occur and the dates they are settled. The Company currently uses foreign currency forward contracts to reduce the risk related to some of these transactions. These contracts usually have maturities of 90 days or less and generally require an exchange of foreign currencies for U.S. dollars at maturity at rates stated in the contracts. These contracts are not designated as hedging instruments under U.S. GAAP. Accordingly, the changes in the fair value of the foreign currency forward contracts are recognized in each accounting period in “Other operating expense - net” on the Consolidated Statements of Income together with the transaction gain or loss from the related balance sheet position. The Company records the contracts at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company does not hold derivatives for trading purposes.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

On January 1, 2021, the Company adopted Account Standards Update (ASU) 2019-12, Income Taxes (ASC 740) – Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, which simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in ASC 740 and also clarifies and amends existing guidance to improve consistent application. The adoption of ASU 2019-12 did not have a material impact on the Consolidated financial statements.

No other recently issued or effective ASU's had, or are expected to have, a material impact on the Company's results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.